Hello,
I am pregnant and am waiting for the results of an HIV test. I have always been terrified of contracting hiv. I am a heterosexual female. I have been with my husband for 6 years and the last time I engaged in promiscuous behavior - a handful of one night stands, some with people i knew, some with people I did not know before that night - was over 13 - 14 years ago. Since then, I have had thyroid cancer which runs in my family, and also Hodgkins lymphoma which also runs in my family. I am healthy now and came through the treatments very well. In both of these illnesses, I was never asked if i consented to hiv testing, would they have tested anyway? Could I have come through chemotherapy and surgery and general immune destruction so well if I were hiv positive? Also, does hiv usually show symptoms before 13 - 14 years? I am just so worried I will be that outlier,the one who got from a one night stand and didnt know it until 15 - 20 years later....are these just urban legends or realy cases? I hope I can put this behind me very soon. Thanks for any input.

Response from Mr. Cordova

Hi, there:

The best piece of advice I could offer you would be to get tested for HIV. A 20-minute rapid HIV test will give you the answer and the piece of mind you are looking for.

In regards to all of your questions. It would be unlikely for someone to be infected for 14 years, go through all of the medical situations you described and not show signs of a compromised immune system. Again, the only way to tell is with a test.

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